Jan202010

I just finished rounds. Here is the story of one young woman, Rouite Tisma:

She is a 16 year old schoolgirl still at school at 4:30.

The earthquake hit and the building crumbled around her, killing 6 others.

Dad, knowing she had stayed at school, went that night with flashlight and search for his daughter. He told me he found nothing but piles of boulders and concrete where the school had been. Going from mound to mound, he called out her name ... Nothing but collapsed building. He helplessly called for hours wandering from pile to pile of building rubble. Miraculously, she recognized his voice, and she responded from beneath 6 feet of rubble and concrete. She called backed, hearing her Dad calling her name. It was pitch dark, but he directed his flashlight in the direction of his daughter's voice. He spotted the back of her neck through the deep pile. He told her that she would be alright. He ran back to get his son to help remove her from the crushed debris.

Jan202010

By Bill Frist, M.D.

January 20, 2010

Morning Update

Baptist Mission Hospital -- Fermathe, Haiti

We got to bed late last night after ward surgery - sleeping 14 people in a house on the hospital grounds. Early this morning, we were awakened to violent shaking, It seemed to last a minute but probably only 15 of seconds or so. It felt like someone was shaking me to wake up. Within seconds, hundreds of people throughout the hospital were wailing. The memories of the loss of children and crushing buildings are still so raw for those suffering already, this aftershock was a grim reminder of the pain and suffering they've been through over the past week. With a single aftershock, things settled down after an hour. No one is hurt here, but it is still psychologically damaging, and those wounds will take much longer to heal.

Jan192010

by Bill Frist, M.D.

January 19, 2010

Morning

Last night, we visited Double Harvest Hospital about an hour away from Baptist Mission Hospital. It is a tremendous facility that is in early stages of establishing a relationship with Harvard's Partners program. We decided to send one of our surgeons there (Dr. Warren Cooper, who all of my boys have operated or been with in Sudan over the years). Warren can do it all.

Then back to the hospital compound where we were treated to a fantastic home-cooked meal (I asked, "What's the sauce for the rice?" The cook said "I don't know but you will like."). Great conversation as everyone gathered in their scrubs, exhausted, to recount their experiences of the day. The nurses have got things really organized.

Jan192010

By Bill Frist, M.D.

January 19, 2010

This just in from USAID-DCHA.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

· On January 18, Haitian Prime Minister Bellerive noted that the Government of Haiti (GoH) has declared a countrywide state of emergency and one month of mourning. The GoH is working to stabilize the situation in the country and has requested that banks, including at least 30 in Port-au-Prince, reopen on January 19, allowing businesses to distribute employees' salaries and restart operations.

Jan192010

January 19, 2010

USAID is providing us with updates as to the Key Developments and Current Situation as they have assessed daily. We will in turn share them with you. Please see the pdf attached for the full update. Key Developments for yesterday are below. As we receive them, we will post for the latest facts and figures.

Jan182010

By Bill Frist, M.D.

January 18, 2010

The medical need in Haiti is desperate -- in particular for surgeons. Having responded in this capacity just after the tsunami in Sri Lanka and four days after the levees broke following Katrina, I decided to join fellow physicians from Samaritans purse in Haiti.

On Sunday I spent the morning at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville going through their basement, picking out medical supplies most notably antibiotics and intravenous fluids, they generously provided for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

At First Glance

Jan182010

By Bill Frist, M.D.

January 18, 2010

At First Glance

Baptist Mission Hospital -- Fermathe, Haiti

Its 3:30pm and we have been on site for 5 hours. The Baptist Mission Hospital here in Fermathe has two doctors and about 100 beds. Since the hospital is 20 miles north of Port au Prince, it is normally used as a referral hospital. But it is all pretty simple; it did not have even a basic lab until last month; it does not have blood for transfusions; and it is very elementary.

Jan132010

As the facts slowly emerge revealing the extent of the devastation in Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake yesterday, we are learning that perhaps over half a million lives have been lost.

Major officials and dignitaries lost their lives yesterday. Moreover, governmental buildings, the national palace, and other historic buildings have collapsed.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere suffering from extreme poverty. This natural disaster will create extraordinary need in a country where it is being estimated 1 in 3 Haitians have been affected by the earthquake.

Many have written and asked: Where should we send money? Hope Through Healing Hands will be collecting a fund where 100% of the monies will be donated to the best organizations, on the ground in Haiti, with whom we partner and work. You can donate directly to Hope Through Healing Hands: Haiti Disaster Relief Fund in the next 24 hours on our website.

We will give you updates from these organizations as to the usage of the funding over the next month.

Jan112010

January 11, 2010

From: PneumoALERT at preventpneumo.org

Call to USAID to Take Action on Pneumonia and Diarrhea

Dear Colleagues,

I am excited to tell you that on January 7, 2010, Dr. Rajiv Shah was sworn in as USAID Administrator. This is a great opportunity to welcome Dr. Shah to his new leadership position and to call on him to take up the cause of pneumonia and diarrhea, the world's two leading causes of child mortality.

Dr. Shah has led and worked with many of the initiatives that are defining best practice in the field of development, including the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, the Alliance for a Green Revolution for Africa, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His tireless efforts to immunize children around the world have helped save countless lives.